comment by LIW 100 Points, champions, Lose two games only (U8453)
posted 36 minutes ago
comment by Lowfields73 (U21886)
posted 19 minutes ago
We may be in a better position than last season but we then went on a run of 13 wins and 2 draws in the next 15 games. So maybe not as good as you think.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

When you factor in, the teams were better last season, and we was fourth, 17 points behind leaders and 7 behind second, it negates what your saying 👍
----------------------------------------------------------------------
As things are panning out, and comparing the points totals to this time last season, I don't agree the teams were better last season - certainly not Southampton and Ipswich, who got by on the confidence and momentum they gained up to the turn of the year, as well as it being a weaker league overall (at least, in my opinion). We're way too inconsistent to get anything like the 41pts from a possible 45 that we achieved in the the last New Year's run so unless the other teams fall away from here on in, it's going to be the same 2-from-4 lottery for the autos – unless we buy a striker (and possibly a keeper) in the window.

Best as you said, we all know we need a new #1 keeper.

I'll go by what Farke has said publically, he wants
another #10. Aaronson is playing too many minutes.
He's done great IMO. But for the run in ee need
an option to rotate. So, we need a #10.

Me personally, I'd also like a new #9. That could be someone to come off the bench behind Piroe. Or
a different profile to rotate with him as a starting option.
Has to be better tham Mateo. So that Mateo is third option. That's where my head's at.

Three key positions. Everywhere else for me is solid.

I say that believing Farke just wants a #10.

If the club does nothing it's deja vu russian roulette again all the way to May. And we know how that goes.

I really cant see us signing a keeper so we are gonna habe to stick with what we have until the end of the season at least. Farke would be mad to not strengthen if we get promotion surely.

We are being heavily linked with a centre back from Forest.

comment by Lowfields73 (U21886)
posted 2 hours, 19 minutes ago
Forster, are you insane he's worse than Meslier. Just watch his performance against Man United
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Agree! Was at that game and what a stadium it is…after being at ER for the Blackburn game, I’m on the fence in the new stadium or redevelopment debate.

Hard pass for me too on Forster.

Number 10 is the only one I could see, that’s the only position we’ve got no depth in. Striker they’ll probably view Joseph and Piroe as two good options.

If we match what we’ve done for rest of 20 games, we end up on 93 points. If we are still top at end of February, we win the league because our fixtures last few months are as good as you could pick really.

Ok, just updated the above table after Sunderland’s win today and it’s certainly turning into another 4-horse race for autos atm. That now means there’s a 9 point gap between Sunderland in 4th and 5th place Middlesbrough, although if Blackburn win their game in hand, they would claim 5th spot and reduce that gap slightly to 8 points.

Shaun mentioned it other day, Sunderland look odds
on to land Louie Barry on loan. If that side adds him,
they will be dangerous. They're already top 4 and in
this 4 horse race. Land Barry and he could be one
of those difference makers.

Not worried about Sunderland, although they have hung in there. The only team that will stop us going up is Leeds United!

Of it was a choice between forster and messier I'd take forster all day long at the moment.

There are better options out there, but at the moment out of our three keepers I'd be more happy for either of the other two to start ahead of Mes

Thing is you need a keeper who can hit the ground running, it's probably the biggest risk you can take in terms of a signing.

If a signing dosent work out in any other position we could sign in then we have a decent option in the squad to pit in instead.

Keeper you are just back to square one again if it doesn't work out.

Some like Butland who is doing well at Rangers, knows this league and might be tempted by the prospect of premiership football... and money might be a good option.

Only problem is his contract is for another couple of seasons so Rangers have no reason to sell

Here's a comparison to last year

Our promotion rivals have signed players 5 days into January and we haven't 😅


Hell no on Forster either. Worse than Meslier

Names like Forster and Butland aren't a level up from Meslier. They make crazy errors too and their footwork is absymal.
We need a keeper, I don't think we will get one, but if we do we need a real quality one.

Ideally, we go get a Prem quality keeper now,
who can help us win promotion. And is then our
#1 for the next 10 years. Simple. Right?

Imagine if the 49ers/club were able to convince
someone like Caoimhin Kelleher or fck it, convince
the actual Caoimhin Kelleher to join us now and
help us win promotion. What an unlikely, massive
signing that would be.

That would be dream land.

Abd Bamford phoned the club and said
"fck it, cancel my contract. I'm crap and
stealing a living."

Caoimhin Kelleher signing more likely.

Ramsdale will probably want to stay in the PL when Southampton go down, could be an option!

Basically - we’d still be behind two really good championship clubs if this league had a bit of quality, or one if Sheff U hadn’t have had points deducted. So no better off really. And, yes, you can blame Meslier. But who do you blame for the inept defending. The shocking set pieces. The P-poor team selections. The taking the championship’s top scorer and turning him into a player who looks lost most of the time on the pitch. The lack of a plan B apart from ‘throw all ten attackers on and wonder why we look lost when we concede a late equaliser’. Maybe, just maybe, Mesilier’s lack of form is due to lack of decent coaching and confidence from a manager who consistently proves himself inept. F Farke. I’d keep Ilian every day of the week over Daniel Fraudster.

Morning all🌞.

Many thanks all for your comments on this thread. I have really enjoyed reading them👍

And now for something completely different … (didn’t want to start another thread so adding it on the end of this one).

Everytime I’m reminded of what Brian Clough did at Forest, I wonder what might have been had he (somehow) stayed at Leeds.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c80vd04vxelo

Just reading the BBC Championship page transfer gossip and a few of the Leeds United rumours are not exactly encouraging, one in particular is we are after a 26 yr old Hoffenheimer striker that has scored 1 goal in 17 games....Seriously???

I give our recruitment team a big gold star for Tanaka,
Rothwell and Ramazani who has gone off the boil a bit
but nevertheless I think he's a very good signing imo and you'd say on the whole our signings have been of a pretty good standard recently.

However this latest player linked and serious doubts about our ability to attract the likes of Barry and MaAtee ahead of our rivals leaves me prepared for another one of those deflating January windows but obviously like all of us on here, hope to be pleasantly surprised by our 2025 winter transfer dealings.

Tick tock tick tock we earnestly wait for our incisive
heirarchy transfer specialists to wrap things up we hope
quicker than their usual ponderous speed akin to turning
around the Titanic!!!